Watertight dimmer switch



June 1963 YUICHIRO KANEKO 3,093,715

WATERTIGHT DIMMER SWITCH Filed May 29, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. YUICHIIZU KANE/ 0 mwwol Tom ATTORNE Y5 June 1963 YUICHIRO KANEKO 3, ,71

WATERTIGHT DIMMER SWITCH Filed May 29, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fi q.Z

INVENTOR. YUICH/RO KANEKO 71 w MLGLTM ATTalz/ve v5 June 1 6 YUICHIRO KANEKO 3,093,715

WATERTIGl-IT DIMMER SWITCH Filed May 29, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. YUICHIRO KANE/ 0 BY m qewwdww.

A TTURNE V5 United States Patent 3,093,715 WATERTIGHT DIMMER SWITCH Yuichiro Kaneko, Aichi-ken, Japan, assignor to Kabushikr Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho, Aichi-ken, Japan Filed May 29, 1961, Ser. No. 113,436 Claims priority, application Japan May 30, 1960 7 Claims. (Cl. 200.-67)

This invention relates in general to switches and in particular to a new and useful watertight dimmer switch.

It is an object of this invention to provide a watertight dimmer switch having a contact chamber constructed to completely prevent leakage of water.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a Watertight dimmer switch having separate compartments for switch operating and switch contacting devices are separated by a liquid tight partition as described below, thus preventing an electric leak as well as a liquid leak from the switch contacting device to said switch operating device.

It is another object of this invention to provide a watertight dimmer switch of which component members are rationally and compactly arranged as fully illustrated in the attached drawings and which is extremely durable.

With these and other objects in view and hereinafter set forth, an embodiment of this invention is fully described in the ensuing specification and delineated in the claims appended hereto.

In the attached drawings wherein an embodiment of this invention is illustrated;

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a dimmer switch constructed according to the invention; 7

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the dimmer switch viewed from the switch contacting chamber side with the terminal lid removed;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section along the line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the dimmer switch viewed from the operating chamber side and the terminal with lid thereof removed; and

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of the operation of the dimmer switch according to this invention.

Referring to the drawings in particular, the invention embodied therein includes a dimmer switch comprising a casing generally designated 3 having an opening or hole H in a top wall thereof above which is mounted a cylindrical member 2. A helical spring 1 is positioned in the cylindrical member between a shoulder portion surrounding the opening H and a retaining member or saucer S, having a slot S. In addition, a compression spring 25 is positioned over the saucer S and covered by a domeshaped cap or cover member 7 which is telescopically slidable over the cylindrical portion 2 and includes intern-a1 means (not shown) preventing removal therefrom.

The interior of the casing 3 is divided into a contacting chamber 6 and an operating chamber 5 by means of a central partition wall 4'. The operating chamber 5 is provided with a converting plate or cam 10 which is rotatably mounted on a pin 22 formed on a side wall or closing plate 21. The converting plate 10 includes a cylindrical hub portion 11 which fits into a cylindrical bearing or opening 13 formed in the partition wall 4. An opposite squared end 11 of the member extends into the contact chamber 6 and a contact holder 14 is provided with a squared opening 15, the holder fitting over the squared end 11 and being rotatable with the converting plate 10.

The converting plate 10 is actuated both by rod member or plate 8 and a spring member 9 which is operatively associated therewith. The plate 8 includes a tip 8 which is confined in slot S and it also has a rectangular opening 24. The spring 9 includes an elongated end which ex- Patented June 11, 1963 adapted to engage in one or the other of recesses or slide ways 28 and 28', formed between a central outstanding tongue 40 and side stops 30v and 30'. The vertical movement of the operating rod 8 is thus guided at its lower end by the end tip 29 which is confined in either the slot 28 or 28' in accordance with the disposition of the converting plate member 10 as controlled by the portion 9a of the spring 9.

As indicated in FIG. 5, when the button 7 is depressed, it forces the rod member 8 and the spring 9 downwardly to cause the lower end 9a of the spring to contact one or the other of the oblique surfaces 26 and 26' to deflect the at 23 in order to permit passage of the hub portion 11 and the pin 22. Spring 31 urges the movable contact 31 against the contact holder '14 so that slot portions 32 and 32' thereon are made to fit into projections 33 and 33' which are formed as outward extensions on this side of the contact holder.

The complete switch may be assembled in a position on a floor of an automobile, for example, by screws which extend through openings 34 and 34' formed on flanges of the casing 3.

Now explaining the operation of the dimmer switch according to this invention as best illustrated in FIG. 5, by pressing the cap 7, the tip of the operating pin 9 is moved downwardly sliding on either of the slanted edges 26 or 26' and reaches either of the bottoms 27 or 27' provided at the upper end of said converting plate 10. Movement of the tip to either of the bottoms 27 or 27 displaces the converting plate 10 either to the left or right by a quick motion. The contact holder 14 in the contact chamber 6 is swiveled to the left or right correspondingly by means of the rotating axis 11 and the movable contact plate 16 supported under tension by said contact holder 14 is swiveled to the left or right and is brought into contact with either the stationary contacts points 17, :17 or 17, 17 and the circuit is switched.

The dimmer switch of the type is usually fitted on the floor of the drivers seat of an automobile and it has been the case that in washing the automobile water is apt to penetrate into the switch through a gap between the cap 7 and the cylindrical member 2. The dimmer switch according to this invention can, however, confine any water which enters into the switch to the operating chamber 5, and the switch contacting chamber 6 having contact points is completely separated by means of the partition 4. In the hole connecting the two chambers, through which the rotating axis of the connecting plate 10 is inserted, the O-ring 12 is provided in order to prevent leakage of water. In addition the packing 6 is used between the lid 21 covering the chamber 6 and the casing 3 making the chamber 6 completely watertight. Accordingly, no interruption of the electrical circuit by leakage to result in loss of efiiciency is possible and the unique construction of the dimmer switch according to this invention increases the expected life of said Switches. Furthermore, as the converting plate It) is both positively and quickly displaced by means of the operating pin 9 as shown in FIG. 2, switching of contacts can be carried out with certainty and no scorchingof the contact points as has been common in the conventional switches of the type is caused.

Furthermore, as according to this invention, the converting plate 10, the contact holder 15 and the lid 19 are made of insulating materials such as plastics, any leak from the contact mechanism can completely be prevented.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A watertight dimmer switch comprising a casing having a cylindrical portion, a helical spring accommodated within said cylindrical portion, a cap covering said cylindrical portion and biased upwardly by said spring, means defining a switch operating chamber, means defining a switch contacting chamber and a switch operating chamber below said cylindrical portion, a partition having a bearing opening and separating said switch operating chamber and said switch contacting chamber, an operating rod rotatable in the partition bearing opening, a converting plate atfixed to said operating rod for rotation therewith and connected to said cap for rotation when said cap is moved against the biasing force of said spring, said converting plate being located in said switch operating chamber, an O-shaped packing ring surrounding said partition hole, said contact plate being mounted on said rod for rotation therewith, and a lid plate having stationary contacts and terminals attached to said housing with said contacts located in the path of movement of said contact plate.

2. A watertight dimmer switch as claimed in claim 1 in which said connecting plate and said contact holder are made of insulating material such as plastic.

3. A switch comprising a casing having an interior partition wall separating a contact chamber and an operating chamber, said partition wall having an opening therein,

a converting plate member pivotally mounted in said operating chamber and having a portion extending through said partition wall opening into said contact chamber, means to seal said partition wall around said opening and the portion of said converting plate member extending through said opening, spaced fixed contacts in said contact chamber, a movable contact connected to said converting plate member at the portion which extends into said contact chamber for movement therewith, said casing having a top wall with an opening therein communicating with said operating chamber, and an operating member reciprocably mounted above the opening in said top wall and engageable with said converting plate member to move the latter.

4. A switch according to claim 3, wherein said converting plate member includes oblique camming surfaces, said operating member including a portion engageable with one of said camming surfaces to shift said converting plate member and dispose the other of said camming surfaces in alignment with said operating member for operative engagement thereby during the next cycle.

5. A switch according to claim 3, wherein said converting plate member includes a cylindrical hub portion rotatable in said partition wall opening.

6. A switch according to claim 3, wherein said operating member includes a rod having a slot therein, an Lashaped spring including a portion confined in said slot of said rod and a portion adapted to move downwardly with said rod and engage said converting plate member to shift the latter during reciprocation of said rod.

7. A switch according to claim 6, wherein said converting plate member includes a pair of oblique camming surfaces, said spring adapted to contact one camming surface to shift said converting plate member during a first and alternate movement thereof and to contact the opposite camming surface to shift said converting plate member in an opposite direction on second and and alternate movement thereof.

Ellithorpe July 29, 1952 Tregoning July 28, 1953 

1. A WATERTIGHT DIMMER SWITCH COMPRISING A CASING HAVING A CYLINDRICAL PORTION, A HELICAL SPRING ACCOMMODATED WITHIN SAID CYLINDRICAL PORTION, A CAP COVERING SAID CYLINDRICAL PORTION AND BIASED UPWARDLY BY SAID SPRING, MEANS DEFINING A SWITCH OPERATING CHAMBER, MEANS DEFINING A SWITCH CONTACTING CHAMBER AND A SWITCH OPERATING CHAMBER BELOW SAID CYLINDRICAL PORTION, A PARTITION HAVING A BEARING OPENING AND SEPARATING SAID SWITCH OPERATING CHAMBER AND SAID SWITCH CONTACTING CHAMBER, AN OPERATING ROD ROTATABLE IN THE PARTITION BEARING OPENING, A COVERTING PLATE AFFIXED TO SAID OPERTING ROD FOR ROTATION 